Author: cebliss

With all the work projects, I too often get stuck in tactical work. This is the day to day maintenance that seems to take up 45 of my 40 hours each week.

This includes daily content posting, server backups, application development, to-do list processing etc.

Because of the endless supply of filler these tasks provide, I never am really able to organize the longer term strategy behind what I do. I am rarely able to assess the overall flow of a website, or generate long term goals to direct the way I handle the day to day content.

Don’t get me wrong, I am constantly thinking about this stuff and have a vague idea of where I want to go. I just don’t spend quality time quantifying these ideas, and organizing these thoughts.

To start moving this direction (beyond the tactical and to the strategic), I am beginning to schedule 1 hour (that’s all) a week to sit away from my computer/blackberry/telephone/spreadsheets/project tracking and use only a (gasp) notebook and pen. I take notes as I process concepts, desires goals etc. After 2 weeks, I have been astounded at what that time accomplishes.

So far, I have discovered that spending that hour away from the tactical has actually made the 39 hours where I AM working through the task list much more effective. I am able to view the daily tasks in a much greater context.

Stuff we did in April:

Actually, I am just playing with some video slideshow tools…

“The Pretty One” is away this weekend for a work retreat. I took the girls to see a “Member’s Preview” of the new “Russia’s Grizzly Coast” exhibit at the zoo. This is probably one the best designed Zoo exhibits I have seen in years.

I highly recommend it!

My 3  year old watched a bear walk right up to her at the glass. She backed off a bit as the bear pressed a nose up close. After a few seconds, she stepped back and pressed her nose to the glass, opposite the bear.

Not to leave us “un-thrilled”, the bear got up on 2 feet and looked at ME nose to nose.

That was cool (and the 3 year old backed off again).

These exhibits were specifically designed to bring the animals closer to the humans. That is nice. My zoo luck has a tendency to put the animals on the far side of any exhibit, usually sleeping.

That was not the case tonight.

I am a fan of both Switchfoot and the Narnia series (not necessarily equally)

Good song:

“The Pretty One” and I took our 3 to the zoo to catch up with her mother, sister and neice.

I actually have pictures, but will have to post them later today.

We did the math and realized that it costs our family $44 to enter the zoo. ($14 for adults $8 for kids 2 and older).  Later this summer, it will cost $52 (when the youngest turns 3)

We will certainly be going again, so we decided to spring for the $85 annual membership. As long as we go one more time, it’s paid for.

Now, however, we can go as often as we want. It really is a cool place. So much of it is indoors too, so it is quite nice on rainy days.

The only thing the membership doesn’t cover is the $7-8 in gas it takes us to drive there and back.

 

At the center of many stories in the Bible, is the mother. From the completion of creation, to the arrival of the savior into the world. God has used the mother in remarkable ways.

Eve:
The first mother.

Writer Anita Renfroe points out that it must have been pretty hard to be a first time mother… THE first time mother, and not have a mother of your own. Eve, the mother of us all! Eve also, of course, ate something she wasn’t supposed to, and forever changed the way we relate to God. Eve was also the first mother to have to see one of her children die.

Hannah:

The mother of Samuel.

A barren woman who’s faith and devotion to God was so great, that she gave her child to God when he was born.

She literally gave her firstborn to God!

When you talk about wanting to surrender our children into God’s hands, how far are you willing to take that? I tend to say that easily with the areas in which I have no control, but what about the areas I directly influence?

Am I willing to surrender my will for my children, to God’s will for my children? Or, am I trying to fit His will into the fragile framework of my own?

Mary:

Mother of Jesus

After working through the difficulty of trying to explain an incomprehensible conception to those around her, I like to think Mary was able to take pleasure in the miracle and her part in God’s arriving here on earth. Actually, we see that she clearly “rejoiced in God [her] savior”!

Mary had to rock the creator of the universe to sleep. Mary changed the diapers of the great “I AM”. Mary sought after a pre-teen savior of the world as He sat in the temple astounding the wise!

Mary also, however, felt heartache as she surrendered her child to a short life of ministry and his execution.

When many left his side, in his most difficult hours, His mother was there at the foot of the cross.

Sarah:

Mother of Isaac

Sarah laughed.

When she first heard of her pending arrival, in her late 80s, she laughed! It is easy for us, thousands of years later, to be hard on her and her lack of faith, but I have to give her credit for her reaction. I am sure she was thrilled with the news she had long since given up hope of hearing, but there had to be some immediate concerns as well. Being a mother at that age could not have been easy.

I don’t know if her laughter was sarcastic and faithless, or out of a good sense of humor; but it is a great reminder to enjoy some of the more difficult moments of childhood, and to do so with a sense of humor.

Elizabeth:

Mother of John the Baptist.

God seems to delight in the improbable. Just as with Sarah and Hannah in the old testament, Elizabeth is well along in her life, and motherhood seems out of the question. But God astounds us all.

The Bible doesn’t say whether she was around for this, but Elizabeth, like Mary, had a child die violently and early in his adult years.

But even before his birth, Elizabeth’s son was declaring the coming savior as he leaped in her womb.

Bathsheba:

Mother of Solomon

When that name is heard, it is her worst moment that is often thought of. Her affair with King David brought a lot of hardship to the King and the Kingdom. However, a child of theirs led Israel with a wisdom that is unmatched to this day. The life of Solomon is a great reminder that God can redeem a life.

You may have a child born of painful situations. God is bigger than those situations, and has great plans for that child (and for Mom as well).

The Mother of James and John

Have you ever asked that little league coach to bump your kid up the roster? Have you ever asked the teacher about bumping your youngster to a more advanced group of students? You can probably understand how the mother of James and John felt when she asked Jesus to seat her sons next to Him in eternity.

I am sure it was more than just maternal pride, however. This lady wanted Jesus to draw her sons closer to himself.

This story on its own can seem rather selfish, but we see this mother again with with her grieving son, and Mary, at the foot of the cross.

Sure! Mother’s day is just a couple of weeks away, but Mom is easy to shop for. Some flowers, maybe the gift basket from Bath and Body Works? What about Dad? Really folks, it is time to start thinking about Father’s Day! Dad’s don’t really wear ties any more, and there are only so many cliche golf accessories out there.

I found a briefcase online this week. It has a carbon fiber outer shell, leather lined interior, and 18K Gold clasps.

The gift will only set you back $16,000

… or as my family calls it “Adjusted Taxable Income”.

I came across this article this week.

Apparently, eating chocolate during pregnancy can help avoid a potentially life threatening condition for the expectant mother.

I don’t know that that would have changed my wife’s habits, it would have simply justified them.